Arrangement of supplemental valves for high-pressure steam-engines



UNITE SATS RICHI). COLBURN AND L. W. HANSON, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

ARRANGEMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL VALVES FOR HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 14,906, dated May 20, 1856; Ressued February 7,

' v 1865, No. 1,862.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, RICHARD COLBURN and L. IV. HANSON, of Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and improved self-acting cylinder cock or valve for the purpose of freeing the cylinder at all times of water and back-steam, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip-- tion, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which is represented a longitudinal section through the cylinder of a steam-engine with our improvements att-ached.

In high pressure engines worked by slide valves in proportion as the valves are caused to lap for the purpose of working the steam expansively, a back pressure is produced behind the piston by the failure of the exhaust port to remain open to the end of the stroke and this difculty is increased in locomotives on account of the smallness of the exhaust passage.

Various efforts have been made to remedy the above diiiiculty and remove the back pressure from the piston. This we accomplish by the use of a peculiar form and arrangement of self acting cylinder cocks or exhaust valve which is auxiliary to the main exhaust and is operated solely by the steam as it is admitted to the cylinder without the intervention or use of any connections whatever with the moving parts of the machin- To enable others skilled in the art to understand our invention and to put the same in practice, we will proceed to describe the manner in which we have carried it out.

In the accompanying drawings A is the cylinder; B, the piston; C, C, the steam ports.

f and g are openings in the bottom of the cylinder, to which are adapted the valve boxes E, E. Vithin these boxes play the valves K, K which close the openings h, h", when down upon their seats. The valves are raised by the rods m, m, that rest upon the ends of the vibrating lever L. The operation of these valves is as follows: Then steam is admited through the port C the valve K is instantly closed and K opened. A way is thus opened through h for the exhaust steam, which will remain open during the whole length of t-he stroke, and until the steam is admitted at the opposite port C when the valve K is closed and K opened and the steam from the other side of the piston passes off through the opening it. These valves are entirely self operating and require no connections whatever with the moving parts of the engine for their operation. It will alsoV be perceived that any water that may condense within the cylinder will pass off through the openings f and g cach time the valves K, K are opened.

The above described arrangement may be applied to any high pressure engine but is particularly applicable to locomotive cylinders where the exhaust steam is employed to urge the fires. It is not intended to dispense with the ordinary exhaust valve, but simply as auxiliary thereto. By its use a much greater lap may be given to the steam valve without producing any compression behind the piston, and thus a great economy of steam and power is effected.

In the accompanying drawings the steam is represented as exhausting through the opening L, h into the open air. It is evident however that suitable pipes may be adapted to these openings to conduct the steam and water away as required; in which case the rods m, m will pass through openings made for the purpose in said pipes, and be suitably packed to prevent leakage if necessary.

This improvement is mo-re particularlyadapted to locomotives using the link motion.

That we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The self acting valves K, K, connected together as set forth for the purpose of freeing the cylinder of water and of back steam in the manner substantially as herein described.

RICHARD COLBURN. L. W. HANSON. Signed in presence of- VILLIAM BOND, JOHN BENSON.

[FIRST PRINTED 1912.] 

